The Hornets, claiming that revenues from the Charlotte
Coliseium will fail to keep them competitive in the future, are
searching for a site for a new arena. The team is
"concentrating" its search in Charlotte's suburbs, both in NC and
SC, and say "there would not be enough land" in uptown Charlotte
to build an arena and lot. Erik Spanberg reports in the current
CHARLOTTE BUSINESS JOURNAL that the team has hired Toronto-based
Stadium Consultants Int'l to study sites for a proposed $100M-
150M arena. SCI will focus on land availability, parking, access
to public transportation and proximity to restaurants and hotels.
The club's lease with the city at the Charlotte Coliseum expires
after next season. The team claims the eight 10-seat boxes and
four 18-seat boxes will not keep them competitive. Spanberg
reports the team now ranks in the bottom-third of the NBA in
revenue, but they pay one of the league's lowest rents at $8,000
per game. Muhleman Associates' Max Muhleman says the team will
need a new facility within five years to remain competitive
(Charlotte BUSINESS JOURNAL, 10/9 issue).

MA House Ways and Means Committee Chair Thomas Finneran said
with the window of opportunity "rapidly closing" on a privately
financed domed stadium in Boston, the Pats best chance for a new
stadium may be in Foxboro, according to the BOSTON HERALD. Phil
Primack notes the "Catch-22" faced by megaplex supporters in that
private financing is not likely until the megaplex bill is
passed. But a stadium won't be part of the bill unless there is
private financing "pledged" to a stadium. Finneran added a bill
will be reported by the Ways and Means Committee Friday, but it
may "be open" on the issue of a location (BOSTON HERALD, 10/10).

The Milwaukee County Board Finance Committee Monday held off
an attempt to take money for the new Brewers Stadium out of the
county's '96 budget, according to the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL.
County Exec F. Thomas Ament had proposed paying $4M of the
county's $18M contribution to stadium costs next year taking that
money from the '96 county budget. Gretchen Schuldt writes this
indicates the stadium project could run into "rough sledding" in
the County Board, with officials complaining that "unfunded
mandates" imposed by the state can potentially drive up county
costs and property taxes (MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 10/10).